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USATF Releases Its Return To Training Guidance

This guidance document (“Guidance”) on return to training considerations post-COVID-19 has been developed by USATF’s COVID-19 Working Group, composed of medical and scientific experts in the fields of sports medicine, physiology, infectious disease, and epidemiology. This Guidance is based on and includes portions of specific content from the US Olympic and Paralympic Committee guidance document on return to training considerations and World Health Organization (“WHO”) mass gathering guidance.

This Guidance sets as primary consideration the rules and regulations provided by public health authorities and state and local governments, which will be different across the country. The secondary consideration should be the specific recommendations set forth in this document. In either case (State/Local or USATF), whichever regulations are more restrictive should be the guidance that is followed.

This does not prevent associations, local clubs, and events from adopting even more strict or more conservative approaches than those mandated by local public health authorities or recommended by the USATF Guidance.

This Guidance (v1.3) should be considered a “living document.” This means that the document’s criteria and recommendations are based on known factors at the time of writing. As more information becomes available concerning COVID-19, this Guidance will be updated as appropriate and new version(s) released to the USATF membership.

Finally, although the young and healthy tend to have less severe cases of COVID-19, every case of this disease is potentially life-altering or deadly in any age group, but particularly so in USATF athletes, coaches, and officials with select risk factors - such as asthma, hypertension, diabetes, liver disease, kidney disease, immune suppression, neurologic disorders affecting respiration, or individuals of advanced age.

Until a vaccine is developed, long-term immunity can be confirmed, or a cure is found, there is no way of completely eliminating the risk of fatal infection. This should always be in the forefront when considering return to training decisions.

Return to Training Phases

Step 1: Determine current state government requirements and regulations. Links to find this information for your state can be found on the link to this story. 

Step 2: Determine if there are any local or county public health authority notices with restrictions on activities in the community. Finding this information will differ by location, but normally can be found through your county government webpage.

Step 3: Using that information, determine the appropriate phase below that applies to your local community.

Step 4: See the specific guidance for each phase listed below.

Note, in all phases proper hygiene and social distancing practices should be followed.